Miami Takes Down Ohio 30-20 in Battle of the Bricks

Saturday, October 19

Oxford, Ohio

3:30 p.m.

Miami University

Ohio

Photo by: Jeff Sabo

Miami Takes Down Ohio 30-20 in Battle of the Bricks

10/19/2024 6:57:00 PM | Football

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OXFORD, Ohio– The Miami University football team defeated rival Ohio 30-20 Saturday in the Battle of the Bricks, handing the Bobcats their first conference loss. Brett Gabbert threw for 178 yards and three touchdowns for the RedHawks, while Keyon Mozee added 111 rushing yards and a score. With the victory, Chuck Martin matched Randy Walker's record for most career wins as Miami head coach (59). Miami improves to 3-4 (2-1 MAC) on the year, while OU falls to 4-3 (2-1 MAC).

HOW IT HAPPENED

Miami got on the board first, marching 62 yards in eight plays to set up a 28-yard Dom Dzioban field goal with 6:42 left in the first quarter. The key play on the drive was a 32-yard strike from Gabbert to Cade McDonald down the right sideline to move the RedHawks into OU territory.
The RedHawks extended their lead midway through the second quarter on a 14-yard touchdown pass from Gabbert to Reggie Virgil. After a roughing-the-passer penalty set Miami up in the red zone, Gabbert found Virgil on his right to beat the blitz, with the junior receiver successfully stretching the ball inside the pylon for a 10-0 advantage.
Ohio put together a 10-play drive later in the period, but Raion Strader intercepted a pass and returned it 33 yards into Bobcat territory to end the threat. Miami capitalized on the turnover six plays later, as Gabbert connected with Javon Tracy in the back corner of the end zone for an eight-yard touchdown with 19 seconds left in the half. The extra point was no good, so the Red and White took a 16-0 cushion into halftime.
The visitors opened the second half with a long scoring drive, capped by Anthony Tyus III's one-yard touchdown run on the 15th play of the possession. Ohio's two-point conversion attempt was no good, leaving the score at 16-6 at the midway point of the third quarter.
After an exchange of punts, Mozee promptly stretched the lead to three possessions, sprinting 58 yards for a touchdown on the next snap to put Miami on top 23-6.
A Matt Salopek interception at the Ohio 28-yard line immediately led to another one-play scoring drive for the Red and White. Gabbert stood in the pocket and delivered a pass to McDonald, who easily eluded an Ohio defender to race into the end zone, making the score 30-6.
The Bobcats put together a fourth-quarter touchdown drive to pull within 30-14 with 5:58 remaining on a one-yard plunge by Nolan McCormack and a successful two-point conversion. OU's Nick Poulos added a touchdown run with six seconds remaining to account for the final score.

NOTES

Salopek moved into eighth place on Miami's all-time list for career tackles, passing Dustin Cohen (1996-99); Salopek made 10 stops to give him 455 for his career.
Salopek intercepted a pass for the second consecutive weekend.
Brian Ugwu led Miami's defense with 1.5 sacks.
Corban Hondru recorded the first solo sack of his Miami career.
Gabbert now has 12 career touchdown passes and only one interception in games against Ohio.
Savio Frazier and Eric Smith made their first starts for the RedHawks.
Strader's interception was the second of his career.
Mozee produced his third 100-yard rushing game in the last four weeks.